#s: crushed olive branch

[hellhunde]

Silly pixel icons for some ocs!

[soracities]

what are your suggestions for starter poetry for people who dont have strong reading/analysis backgrounds

I've answered this a few times so I'm going to compile and expand them all into one post here.

I think if you haven't read much poetry before or aren't sure of your own tastes yet, then poetry anthologies are a great place to start: many of them will have a unifying theme so you can hone in based on a subject that interests you, or pick your way through something more general. I haven't read all of the ones below, but I have read most of them; the rest I came across in my own readings and added to my list either because I like the concept or am familiar with the editor(s) / their work:

Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times (ed. Nick Astley) & Being Alive: The Sequel to Staying Alive (there's two more books in this series, but I'm recommending these two just because it's where I started)

The Rattlebag (ed. Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes)

The Ecco Anthology of International Poetry (ed. Ilya Kaminsky & Susan Harris)

The Essential Haiku, Versions of Basho, Buson and Issa (ed. Robert Hass)

A Book of Luminous Things (ed. Czesław Miłosz )

Now and Then: The Poet's Choice Columns by Robert Hass (this may be a good place to start if you're also looking for commentary on the poems themselves)

Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World(ed. Pádraig Ó'Tuama)

African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song (ed. Kevin Young)

The Art of Losing: Poems of Grief and Healing (ed. Kevin Young)

Lifelines: Letters from Famous People about their Favourite Poems

The following lists are authors I love in one regard or another and is a small mix of different styles / time periods which I think are still fairly accessible regardless of what your reading background is! It's be no means exhaustice but hopefully it gives you even just a small glimpse of the range that's available so you can branch off and explore for yourself if any particular work speaks to you.

But in any case, for individual collections, I would try:

anything by Sara Teasdale

Devotions / Wild Geese / Felicity by Mary Oliver

Selected Poems and Prose by Christina Rossetti

Collected Poems by Langston Hughes

Where the Sidewalk Endsby Shel Silverstein

Morning Haiku by Sonia Sanchez

Revolutionary Letters, Diane di Prima

Concerning the Book That Is the Body of the Beloved by Gregory Orr

Rose: Poems by Li-Young Lee

A Red Cherry on a White-Tiled Floor / Barefoot Souls by Maram al-Masri

Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky

Tell Me: Poems / What is This Thing Called Love? by Kim Addonizio

The Trouble with Poetry by Billy Collins (Billy Collins is THE go-to for accessible / beginner poetry in my view so I think any of his collections would probably do)

Crush by Richard Siken

Rapture / The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy

The War Works Hard by Dunya Mikhail

Selected Poems by Walt Whitman

View with a Grain of Sand by Wislawa Szymborska

Collected Poems by Vasko Popa

Under Milkwood by Dylan Thomas (this is a play, but Thomas is a poet and the language & structure is definitely poetic to me)

Bright Dead Things: Poems by Ada Limón

Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth by Warsan Shire,

Nostalgia, My Enemy: Selected Poems by Saadi Youssef

As for individual poems:

“Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver

[Dear The Vatican] erasure poem by Pádraig Ó'Tuama // "The Pedagogy of Conflict"

"Good Bones" by Maggie Smith

"The Author Writes the First Draft of His Weddings Vows (An erasure of Virginia Woolf's suicide letter to her husband, Leonard)" by Hanif Abdurraqib

"I Can Tell You a Story" by Chuck Carlise

"The Sciences Sing a Lullabye" by Albert Goldbarth

"One Last Poem for Richard" by Sandra Cisneros

"We Lived Happily During the War" by Ilya Kaminsky

“I’m Explaining a Few Things”by Pablo Neruda

"Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" //"Nothing Gold Can Stay"//"Out, Out--" by Robert Frost

"Tablets: I // II // III"by Dunya Mikhail

"What Were They Like?" by Denise Levertov

"Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden,

"The Patience of Ordinary Things" by Pat Schneider

“I, too” // "The Negro Speaks of Rivers” // "Harlem” // “Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes

“The Mower” // "The Trees" // "High Windows" by Philip Larkin

“The Leash” // “Love Poem with Apologies for My Appearance” // "Downhearted" by Ada Limón

“The Flea” by John Donne

"The Last Rose of Summer" by Thomas Moore

"Beauty" // "Please don't" // "How it Adds Up" by Tony Hoagland

“My Friend Yeshi” by Alice Walker

"De Humanis Corporis Fabrica"byJohn Burnside

“What Do Women Want?” // “For Desire” // "Stolen Moments" // "The Numbers" by Kim Addonizio

“Hummingbird” // "For Tess" by Raymond Carver

"The Two-Headed Calf" by Laura Gilpin

“Bleecker Street, Summer” by Derek Walcott

“Dirge Without Music” // "What Lips My Lips Have Kissed" by Edna St. Vincent Millay

“Digging” // “Mid-Term Break” // “The Rain Stick” // "Blackberry Picking" // "Twice Shy" by Seamus Heaney

“Dulce Et Decorum Est”by Wilfred Owen

“Notes from a Nonexistent Himalayan Expedition”by Wislawa Szymborska

"Hour" //"Medusa" byCarol Ann Duffy

“The More Loving One” // “Musée des Beaux Arts” by W.H. Auden

“Small Kindnesses” // "Feeding the Worms" by Danusha Laméris

"Down by the Salley Gardens” // “The Stolen Child” by W.B. Yeats

"The Thing Is" by Ellen Bass

"The Last Love Letter from an Entymologist" by Jared Singer

"[i like my body when it is with your]" by e.e. cummings

"Try to Praise the Mutilated World" by Adam Zagajewski

"The Cinnamon Peeler" by Michael Ondaatje

"Last Night I Dreamed I Made Myself" by Paige Lewis

"A Dream Within a Dream" // "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe (highly recommend reading the last one out loud or listening to it recited)

"Ars Poetica?" // "Encounter" // "A Song on the End of the World"by Czeslaw Milosz

"Wandering Around an Albequerque Airport Terminal” // "Two Countries” // "Kindness” by Naoimi Shihab Nye

"Slow Dance” by Matthew Dickman

"The Archipelago of Kisses" // "The Quiet World" by Jeffrey McDaniel

"Mimesis" by Fady Joudah

"The Great Fires" // "The Forgotten Dialect of the Heart" // "Failing and Flying" by Jack Gilbert

"The Mermaid" // "Virtuosi" by Lisel Mueller

"Macrophobia (Fear of Waiting)" by Jamaal May

"Someday I'll Love Ocean Vuong" by Ocean Vuong

"Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou

I would also recommend spending some times with essays, interviews, or other non-fiction, creative or otherwise (especially by other poets) if you want to broaden and improve how you read poetry; they can help give you a wider idea of the landscape behind and beyond the actual poems themselves, or even just let you acquaint yourself with how particular writers see and describe things in the world around them. The following are some of my favourites:

Upstream: Essays by Mary Oliver

"Theory and Play of the Duende" by Federico García Lorca

"The White Bird" and "Some Notes on Song" by John Berger

In That Great River: A Notebook by Anna Kamienska

A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib

The Book of Delights by Ross Gay

"Of Strangeness That Wakes Us" and "Still Dancing: An Interview with Ilya Kaminsky" by Ilya Kaminsky

"The Sentence is a Lonely Place" by Garielle Lutz

Still Life with Oysters and Lemon by Mark Doty

Paris, When It's Naked by Etel Adnan

[brewstersbru]

Hey folks have some huskerdust !! 🕷️♥️

“I know, I know Legs. I just need to ask you something.” Angel’s eyes scrunch closed and the rest of his expression crumples as he whines out, short and low. Husk hovers his hands over the mottling of bruises and cuts that litter his torso, some still sluggishly bleeding. He itches to bandage them up, but stays himself with the sobering thought that Angel is used to guys touching him when he’s unconscious.

“Angel.” He tries again. Angel shakes his head minutely. “-on’t wanna.” He whines.

“Look at me please? I just want to check that it’s okay that I touch you. You know it’s important to me.”

Angel, with a long, juddering sigh, pulls himself from the cusp of sleep and blinks his eyes open. He frowns, glaring a little as he yawns into his hand. Husk waits patiently at his side, knees beginning to ache with being pressed against the hard wooden floor for so long.

“I told ya I don’t care what you do when I come back doped out like this, Whiskers. Not like I’ll remember it. Hah!” His laugh comes out rough, like it hurts to push from his lips. Husk shakes his head.

“And I told you it doesn’t matter if you’ll remember it or not. I’m not going to be another man who takes advantage of you.” He says, carefully enunciating each word so the message gets through.

Angel curses and flops over onto his side which draws his face infinitely closer to Husk’s own. He meets his eyes with a burning, lidded gaze. Husk keeps his posture relaxed, but his tail puffs at the sudden movement.

“Yer a softie, Husk. I don’t think ya could take advantage of me if you wanted to.” The words are coupled with a rickety, slapped on grin. Husk desperately wants to just shake him until he gets it through his big thick head that that’s not the point. It doesn’t matter what he thinks, it matters what he wants. Does he want Husk touching him after an abusive, grueling shoot? That’s what Husk’s asking, not if he ‘trusts’ him. He sighs.

“You didn’t answer my question. Can I touch you? Just give me an answer and then you can go back to sleep. God knows you’ll be needing it.” And it’s true. Who knows what Val has in store for him tomorrow? He’s better off getting all the rest he can get, while he can.

Angel appraises him with a long, considering look. There’s a lot going on behind his eyes and though Husk is aware of the fact of it, he can’t begin to try to fathom what exactly his thoughts are in this moment. He simply sits back on his heels and awaits his verdict. Every so often his eyes are drawn down to the mess of Angel’s torso. It’s not an intentional thing, but he can feel his hackles rising with the need to Fix It. Husk crushes the feeling down.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity but in reality couldn’t have been longer than five minutes, Angel closes his eyes.

“Yeah. Yeah Husk, you can.” He says, voice as small as Husk thinks he’s ever heard it. It’s strange to hear him so soft when usually he overtakes rooms with booming confidence; he even looks small, now, tucked into himself and using all of his arms to hug himself close as he hunches over.

He doesn’t- maybe he can’t- look at Husk when he speaks. Husk takes the words for the olive branch that they are and nods.

“Okay. Thank you, Angel. S’ all I needed.”

Angel just nods, curling further into himself for a moment before abruptly turning onto his back and feigning sleep. They both know he’s awake- he’s not snoring as loudly or as endearingly as he would if he truly was asleep- but Husk doesn’t call him on it, just reaches down to the first aid kit he’d dragged over in his initial protective rage and starts unpacking the necessary materials. Alcohol (not the fun kind), gauze, tape, and Angel’s preferred- though he’d never tell you it- heart-patterned bandages.

Another glance at Angel’s stiffly unmoving form reminds him that he hadn’t even had time to remove his makeup before passing out from exhaustion. Smears of glittery pink decorate his eye sockets, smudged from what Husk can only assume were punishing bouts of sweat and exercise. Husk pushes down the surge of indignation this thought elicits and smooths Angel’s hair back, thumbing for a moment near his hairline, before standing.

“Be back in a sec. Forgot something.” He keeps his voice low, tries for soothing but probably achieves something more like a dying wood chipper. Angel- who had up until that point been tightly coiled, as if expecting a blow- eases into the cushions at the sound. He hums, “Mmk. Thanks.”

Husk doesn’t respond lest Angel figure out from the cadence of his voice that Husk doesn’t need to be thanked. That he wants to do this. That he likes it.

It’s just- Angel always looks so at peace in these moments. The usual tension in his body melts away leaving nothing but the rawest and purest version of him. Husk loves that version of him, and he loves that Angel trusts him enough to show him it.

Husk returns after a minute or two with a pack of makeup wipes, Angel’s preferred brand, that he’d bought not too long ago precisely for moments like this. Angel was always complaining about glitter getting into his eyes when he forgot to take his makeup off and Husk saw an opportunity to Fix It. There’s not a lot in Angel’s life that Husk is able to help with, but this is something. And he jumped at the chance.

Angel is snoring lightly, right back at the cusp of oblivion that Husk had so heartlessly torn him from before. He sniffs and turns toward Husk when he settles back at his side, curling slightly into his warmth. Husk can’t help the smile that infects his features at the movement.

With careful, callused fingers, Husk begins to dab at the cuts on Angel’s torso. He’s not sure how to feel about the fact that Angel only flinches at the initial sting, not the rest of the painful swipes. It speaks to a depth of experience with this kind of thing that Husk vehemently dislikes the thought of Angel having to go through. Sure, in theory he knows Angel’s been subjected to this bullshit for decades, but to see it spelt out like this? So clearly and heartbreakingly? Husk has to take a moment between cleaning and bandaging the wounds to collect himself.

Angel whines when he takes his hands away.

“Easy. Easy, Legs.” He wants to call him ‘baby’ but isn’t convinced enough of Angel’s unconsciousness to chance it. Angel huffs.

The rest of the bandages go on easily enough, with minimal protests from Angel- which, somehow only seem to occur when Husk pulls away- and Husk smooths a healthy amount of bruise cream on each of Angel’s visible bruises. He’s almost certain there are more hidden beneath the- admittedly skimpy- clothing Angel is wearing, but is unwilling to undress him like this.

Pulling the surprisingly fluffy throw blanket from the back of the couch, Husk drapes it over Angel’s form, smoothing the sides down and tucking his arms beneath its warmth so he doesn’t wake up cold.

Husk is methodical in his cleanup of the first aid supplies, drawing each movement out so that he has more of a reason to stay in the room. To look at the rare smooth openness of Angel’s expression.

Once finished, he sets the kit to the side and picks up the makeup wipes, pulling one from the pack and pinching it between his pointer and thumb as he leans over Angel’s face. He moves one hand to cup his cheek, and the other to begin swiping lightly across Angel’s left eyelid.

Angel flinches a little at the unexpected contact, eyelids fluttering as his expression scrunches, disrupting the smooth peace Husk had so adored. It strikes something sore within Husk to watch.

“Hey. Hey, you’re okay, Baby. I’m not gonna hurt you. Go back to sleep.” The ‘baby’ slips out, Husk just can’t filter his words as carefully when Angel is so close, and so clearly hurting.

Angel’s expression smooths at the sound of his voice, at first fractionally, then all at once. It’s a gift to witness.

He leans his cheek further into Husk’s hand and Husk, unable to curb the small chuckle that bursts from his chest at the sight, smooths his thumb underneath Angel’s newly cleaned eye.

This is perfect. If life was fair and they were free this could be their normal, their everyday intimacies, indulged in unrestrained bliss. Husk allows himself to live in the thought for a moment before moving to clean Angel’s other eye.

He doesn’t flinch this time, simply sinks into Husk’s hand as it cradles his face and tips his right side towards him. Husk lets his fingertips linger against smooth, cool skin as he works. Swiping tenderly with each pass, as if Angel were something worth treating carefully.

Husk finishes his work without fanfare and, with an indulgent, lingering press of his lips to Angel’s warm forehead, he stands.

Only to nearly keel over when he meets Angel’s own, lidded- but OPEN- eyes.

“FUCK!”

Angel laughs, but it’s small and syrupy. Real.

“Thanks, Babycakes.” He offers, reaching his arms above his head in a stretch before settling back, deeper under the covers. “You sure know how to treat a guy. Careful what you offer, though, okay? Might end up with a junkie on your ass if it's too sweet.”

Husk understands what he’s really trying to say and shakes his head.

“Any time, Angel.”

[gaysindistress]

Sad girl - five

summary: James has an interesting new business proposal and one hell of a condition to deal with.

pairing: Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader

warnings: cursing, guns, violence (it is a mob au after all), Bucky’s smartass, John Walker being a dick, jealousy, kissing

word count: 2.5k

part 4 | series masterlist

a/n: How are we feeling about the series so far? Are we liking it? Comments, questions, concerns? Thank you for all of the love!

taglist: @missvelvetsstuff @angelsincident @spencerreidisagorgman @ goldensunflowe-r @i-have-no-life-charlie @esposadomd @reader-without-a-story​ 

disclaimer: credits to original creator/poster of image/gif. found on google/Pinterest

Friday rolled around much quicker and smoother than she had anticipated. James is rarely home and when he is, he’s in his office working. Natasha’s ominous door policy turned out to be exactly what she’d thought.

“Door open means come in. Cracked open means knock and closed means go upstairs,” he’d told Doll one night during dinner. Of course, she’d rolled her eyes because the infamous Mr. Stark had the exact same policy. She did wonder if it was just a crime boss thing. 

After spending more time getting ready than she’d liked to admit, she found herself standing in the foyer now waiting for James to join her. Steve and Natasha were talking about the security detail for the fundraiser off to the side while his other men were standing statue like around them. Mr. Stark also had men around him but never this many which lead her to ponder if James was involved with even shadier things than her father. She didn’t get much more time to worry about if she would wind up kidnapped or dead because the famous sound of his expensive shoes hitting the hard floors drowned out every thought. Steve and Natasha stop their conversation, turning into good little soldiers as did the other men in the room, standing up even straighter than before. 

“Look at you, Doll,” James announces while walking up to her, admiring how the fitted black dress hugged her body.

“Finally. You took longer than me to get ready,” she huffs with annoyance and shifts under his gaze. 

His mouth opens to say something but closes when he spots the ring he gave her adorning her hand, “I see you’re wearing your ring.”

Glancing down at her left hand, she pulls it out from his view to smooth the side of her dress down. 

“Of course I am. We’re announcing our engagement, aren’t we? It would look suspicious if I wasn’t wearing it.”

Holding up his hands in defense, “Touché.”

Stealing a look at him, she curses to herself and her body’s reaction to his entirely black outfit. She flushes seeing how his shirt isn’t buttoned up all of the way, flashing glimpses of his tan chest and that stupid chain. James seems to have a habit of never buttoning his shirts entirely or just wearing V-necks and it’s starting to cause issues between her and her body. 

“Oh before I forget, I got you something,” he seems quite proud of himself as he pulls a necklace box from the inside of his suit jacket. He opens it, extending it out as an olive branch. Inside the box lays a silver and diamond ‘B’ initial necklace, damn near identical to the ‘S’ one she’d crushed days earlier. 

“You’re stupider than I thought if you think I’m wearing that,” she attempts to sound menacing but it comes off more in a defiant child-like way. 

Pushing her hair off her shoulders, he takes the necklace out and clasps it around her neck so it can find its place among the other chain and pearl necklace she never takes off. 

“Looks like you’re wearing it now, Doll, and I’ve gotta say it looks like it belongs there,” he says lowly in her ear, warm breath causing a shiver to race down her spine. Taking a step back, he replaces her hair over her shoulder and flattens the necklace down, cold fingers brushing across her warm bare skin. 

“Oh fuck…” dies on her cherry red lips. 

“Time to go, Doll.” 

“You’re lucky I don’t backhand you for that.”

With one hand on the small of her back, he ushers her out of the door and into the black SUV, “Whatever you say.”

_______________________________________________

The drive to the fundraiser is awkward, to say the least. Steve has been chuckling to himself like a schoolboy every time he makes eye contact with her through the rearview mirror and Natasha keeps slapping his arm to shut him up. James has been typing away at his phone the entire time, smiling to himself. 

‘What the hell is he smiling about?’ she finds herself thinking. 

‘Oh get over yourself. He’s definitely texting his side piece. Oh god am I jealous? Get a fucking grip! You’re not a real couple. He can fuck whoever he wants. It’s not like you’re his real wife.’

Another Steve chuckle breaks her thoughts as she shoots him the best death glare she can muster. 

‘This all fake. None of this is real no matter how heavy your ring is or have flustered he makes you. It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real,’ she keeps repeating to herself because god knows she’s going to be living in Hell if she doesn’t. 

The SUV rolls to a stop in front of her father’s tower, Stark Tower. People are streaming in the beacon of power, greed, and money and she can’t help but roll her eyes. Only her father would use his blood money to host a fundraiser and lord only knows what they’re supposed to be raising money for. All she knows is that there will be enough champagne to numb any emotions and decently terrible music that she’s sure her father picked himself without the help of Pepper. Exiting the SUV, hand in hand with James, they’re immediately greeted by her helicopter stepmother and unbothered father. 

“Darling! It’s so good to see you! You haven’t returned any of my calls, I was getting worried James had stolen you away,” her father lies through his pearly white teeth. Pepper just smiles beside him, eyeing her stepdaughter’s choice of dress. 

“Well, we were a little preoccupied celebrating,” James flashes a blinding smile at both of them as he continues to guide Doll up the stairs and into the tower. 

Her father wraps an arm around her shoulders, harshly ripping her away from James and into his side instead, “Smile. Everyone is looking at you and that rock on your hand.”

Smiling through gritted teeth, she pretends her father is being loving and supportive, “Let go of me.”

“Play nice.”

“Should’ve thought of that before you put me in this situation,” she whispers back through her forced smile and pulls herself out of his grasp. Her future husband’s hand finds its way onto her back again, keeping her at his side and professing a false display of affection. 

James leads them further into the fundraiser and away from her father but only to shove her into conversation with random people to announce their happy union. The old women smile fondly at James and his dazzling smile while giving her the fakest ‘congratulations’ they can muster. Their husbands leer at her chest causing the man at her side to clear his throat and pull ever closer to him, hiding her chest in his side. 

“You’d think the ring and the necklace would be enough to scare them off,” he whispers to her at one point. 

“And you’d assume these old bitches would stop trying to get into your pants at some point,” her remark causes him to choke on his drink and her to smile. 

“Oh James baby are you okay?” she feigns concern with mischief in her eyes as he recovers. 

“I’m more than okay, Doll,” he says proudly back to her. 

The night drags on and no amount of champagne will ease the pain of sucking up to the elite of the New York crime scene. The couple’s only relief is found in making snide comments to each other and when true friends come into save them from boring conversations. 

Sam Wilson was the first one to save them from a particularly disgusting couple. James has never been so happy to see his friend’s face before. However, the pleasure doesn’t last long when he feels her stiffen next to him. 

“Are you alright?”

She bats her eyes at him when she glances up, “Oh um we should probably move. Walker is on his way over here and unless you want a fight on your hands, I suggest we get out of here.”

Nodding, James leads her to the dance floor after hugging Sam goodbye. 

Taking her left hand in his right, he leads her into a dance as Julie London’s “Sway” plays. She curls her free arm around his neck and can unfortunately feel the heat of his other hand on her hip. 

“Is your father Italian?”

“What? No. At least not that I’m aware of. Why?”

His shoulders raised, “The music would say otherwise.”

She rests her forehead on his lapel, “Oh my god, he seems to think being a criminal in New York makes him some Italian mob boss.”

His chest rumbles with a laugh, “I’m sensing a story there.”

“Don’t even get me started on what he wanted to name me. Let’s just say I would’ve been the epitome of a mob boss daughter if he would’ve gotten his way.”

“Oh, I would love to hear it.”

“Antonietta Marie Stark,” an unknown voice speaks up from behind the couple. 

James spots John Walker in his pompous glory standing too close for comfort to Doll. 

“Can I help you?” she asks, incredibly bored and vexed by his intrusion. 

 “I heard you had gotten engaged so I came to congratulate the happy couple, sweetheart,” he says with a grimy smile. 

James pulls her into his side, away from John and further into his protection, “Thank you and you’re more than welcome to leave now.”

“I’m hurt, sweetheart, you didn’t call me to tell me that you had started seeing Barnes,” Walker continues to push his luck and in turn, James’ grip around her tightens. 

“Last time I checked, I didn’t have to run things by you, John. I’m not obligated to call you about anything.”

He shakes his head, laughing, “Funny how this all happened right after your dad got into some hot water with the government and only a few months after we last fucked.”

Her jaw drops at his crass words and the sheer audacity he has to say something like that in front of her supposed new fiancé.

“It’s time for you to leave,” anger is filling James’ body as John ogles her. He waves at Steve and some of these other men. 

“Get the fuck out of here before I put a bullet in you,” is the only thing James says to John as he nearly rips Doll’s arm out of her socket and pulls her towards the bathrooms. 

Not wanting to make an even bigger scene, she stumbles to keep up with his pace and doesn’t stray from his side. She can hear John trying to excuse his behavior as Steve escorts him out of the building but it’s lost on her because there is a very angry and dangerous man dragging her across the floor. He doesn’t say a single word or even look at her when he spots an empty conference and shoves her through the door, slamming it shut. 

“Sit,” he snaps, pacing as she sits down on the table behind her.  

“Care to explain what the fuck that was about?”

Rubbing where he had grabbed her, “It’s not anything to worry about. It was in the past.”

He stops his pacing to set his harsh and demanding blue eyes on her. The anger tensed his shoulders and rolled his hands into fists. He looks even bigger than he usually does which is a feat in itself. 

“Fucking excuse me?”

“I said it was in the past. It doesn’t matter.”

“Oh no, you don’t get to decide what it’s important or not. Start talking.”

She pushes herself back further on the table as James takes long strides to stand right in front of her, crowding her personal space. 

“We went out on a few dates and slept together a few times but that’s all. We weren’t officially together and he got bent out of shape that I was seeing other people too so he does whatever he can to piss me off.”

“How many times?” 

She stares back at him, his gaze burning holes into her with anger and jealousy. 

“How many times what, James? Are you jealous of that dickhead?”

“You know what I mean. How. Many. Times?” he punctuates each word by sliding himself in between her legs and planting his hands on either side of her hips. 

“Three,” her chest starts to heave at the closeness and the overwhelming feeling of him. 

“Three times and he’s that obsessed? Oh, Doll it must be heavenly if that’s all it took,” his hot breath ghosts over the column of her neck. He dips his head to kiss the side of her neck as his hands grab ahold of her hips, pulling her against him roughly. 

“If you’d just give up and stop being so stubborn, I could make you feel so good.”

His cologne fills her senses as she lolls her back, giving him even more access to nip and lick up her neck. He laughs darkly, ghosting a hand over her side and sliding it over the back of her neck. Grabbing a fist full of her hair, he pulls her head sharply to the side, “Are you going to give up?”

“Go fuck yourself.”

The hand slides to the front and grips her throat, a signet ring digging into her skin. Her hands fly up to hold onto his shoulders as his lips descend upon hers, hungrily devouring hers. There is nothing sweet or loving about the way their tongues are fighting against each other, red lipstick swearing across her face. 

Pulling back with her bottom lip in between his teeth, he admires the way she’s breathless and fluttering her eyes open, “Life could be so much better if you belonged to me, Doll.” 

“I don’t belong to anyone and most certainly not you,” she murmurs against his lips before capturing them in another clash of teeth and tongue. 

His hand tightens around her neck, choking the soft moan that escapes her mouth despite her best efforts to silence it. The moan only spurs him on as he pulls her impossibly closer, feeling the heat from between her legs on him. Moans continue to get up caught between their lips as he absolutely devours her. Her chest is pushed against his and he can feel the brush of hers against his every time she takes a breath and at the moment it’s very rapid. Her thighs twitch around his waist and it takes everything in to not sink down to his knees and explore. 

Resting his forehead against her, he pulls away panting. She’s the first to speak. 

“Keep kissing me like that when you’re jealous and I’ll only be more stubborn,” she laughs out of breath. 

The hand around her neck shifts to cup her jaw, thumb rubbing the ruined lipstick away. James shakes his head at her statement, eyes roaming her face. 

“I’ll just have to keep you locked up in that case.”

“I’d like to see you try,” she shoves his chest and he lets her push him away so she can stand on wobbly legs. He smirks at her, shifting to a smile when she gives him a look. 

“Let me help you, Doll, can’t have people getting the wrong idea,” he teases her as he wraps an arm around her waist and they leave the conference room to rejoin the fundraiser. 

[rose-tea-and-strawberries]

Listen, Rollo being a Ramshackle student and accidentally acting like a domestic couple with Yuu. I wrote about this once on my blog with my Yuusona.

Now, imagine most of the club goers grumbling that their boys don't have this kind of closeness to Yuu despite knowing her longer than Rollo has. Quasi and maybe Frollo are probably the only ones satisfied with this result

Personally, I'm not really on board the 'Rollo transfers to NRC' train. I'd prefer it if he stayed at NBC but Yuu and him are like pen pals or something like how she is with the RSA boys.

Honestly, I don't really know what happens in the Glorious Masquerade Event so I'm going to just hope that what I say makes sense to those who do know. Also, I haven't read any Rollo content and know nothing about his character so this is me just brainstorming with what I have.

The club goers aren't that fond of Rollo at first considering how he's Frollo's counterpart. Frollo is one of those villains that no one really likes not because he's not a good villain (he is an incredibly written villain) he's just not likable. Most of the villains are awful but likeably awful. He's pure evil and doesn't even have a likeable personality to back him up.

The difference between Frollo and Rollo though is that Rollo is a teenager capable of change whilst Frollo is a grown man - and Rollo hasn't killed, discriminated, or s*xually harrassed anyone. The overblot gang have shown guilt and remorse for what they've done despite their OG Disney counterparts loving the fact that they were evil and powerful so I'm going to assume that whatever Rollo does, he does feel bad afterwards so Yuu is going to be the one to extend the olive branch and show forgiveness.

When Yuu does bring him over, a hush just falls over the hall as everyone just stares at the two. Everyone knows how similar the NRC boys are to their OG counterparts so seeing the girl that they all love standing with someone who's twisted from an abusive, bigoted man who treats women like they're worse than objects. No way in hell. Esmeralda and Quasi are literally asking if she needs help as the gargoyles all just glare at this poor boy. Yuu is quick to shut down any hostility and said that he's here as a friend and since she was able to forgive and forget with everyone else she can forgive and forget with him. Okay, Yuu but he's on thin ice.

They soon get to know that despite looking like Frollo and being really repressed he's just a normal teenaged school kid that has a crush so yeah, the Hunchback of Notre Dame cast are adding him onto the list of suitors. They don't really expect him to get that far since he has to compete with NRC and a few RSA guys but they're rooting for him. The more the merrier. Frollo was against the whole shipping war to begin with ("Seriously," Hades grumbles, "why do we put up with that guy?") but it seems that he and Rollo can have a sort of normal conversation. Maybe.

Quasi bans the gargoyles from performing their song.

[eagleyedz]

think you worked me out, but you're wrong!

introducing griselda renee scott

nickname(s): zelda, z, griz

gender + pronouns: cis woman + she/her

sexual orientation: pansexual

dob + age: 20 february 2003 + twenty - seven

birthplace: somewhere in manitoba, canada

known family: mother, older half - sister (beverly), younger brother (gideon)

zodiac big three: pisces sun, sagittarius moon, gemini rising

character alignment: chaotic neutral

traits: plucky, erratic, finicky, loquacious, blunt, theatrical, a lil madcap, affable, waggish, reticent

anthem: detonate by charli xcx (hurt me, know you wont hurt me / i'm about to detonate / pull you close and then, i'll be gone)

label: the fool. refers to the tarot card! both upright and reversed meanings apply to griz. that is spontaneity & leaps of faith and chaos & poor judgement, respectively

aesthetic: cherry red heart - shaped sunglasses, unhinged laughter, a bone crushing hug, dark corners and sharp objects, a quiet prayer mouthed against a stranger's neck, a cheshire cat grin, and dreams you jolt awake from

influence(s): harley quinn (birds of prey), malia tate (teen wolf), love quinn (you), misty quigley (yellowjackets), rapunzel (tangled), izzy (total drama island (don't judge me)), jj maybank (outer banks)

occupation + role: bartender at olive branch + active assassin for the red eye

timeline

2003 - 2030

[ 20 FEB. 2003 ] : zelda's born!

[ 2004 ] : her younger brother, gideon, is born.

[ 2009 ] : her older sister / maternal figure, beverly, leaves and goes no contact with her family.

[ 2011 ] : her mother leaves zelda & gideon at an orphanage.

[ LATE 2015 ] : zelda & gideon are taken by the red eye and begin training.

[ 2022 ] : zelda completes her training!

[ 2022 - PRESENT ] : zelda works as an active assassin for the red eye.

background

tw mentions of abuse, alcoholism, brainwashing, & violence.

zelda's bio family is kind of a shit show. she's the middle scott child, sandwiched between her older half-sister beverly (her senior by ten years) & her younger brother gideon (only a year younger than her). her mother was an alcoholic who searched for love among men who could never give it to her & z learned very quickly that she wasn't a reliable person. she & gideon found that maternal love in their older sister instead! it takes quite the toll on beverly - taking care of her two younger siblings. gideon's easy, real bright too, and quiet. zelda, however, has always been a force. the poorly behaved kid in class, the one who could never quite comprehend the lesson, the kid who gets moved for talking too much to her friend, only to talk even more to whatever new kid she's sat next to. she required an attention beverly couldn't readily give.

that much became apparent when zelda's six and beverly sets off and goes no contact. in beverly's absence, things get from bad to worse. zelda's eight when her mom turns her & gideon to an orphanage on the outskirts of manitoba, canada. she promises she'll come back for them in due time, but beverly taught zelda that that was unlikely. from there, she takes the role of protector rather fast. her & gideon become very close! gideon's a more subdued spirit & any kid who dared to even look at him the wrong way earned themselves a broken nose by her hands.

she's twelve when she & gideon are taken from the orphanage to train under the red eye. obviously she's quite averse to the whole ordeal at first but the brainwashing treatments work almost too well on her. following them, she has a lot of fake memories of her childhood, mainly where her mother & beverly's roles are switched. zelda remembers beverly to be the neglectful and abusive one, just as much as her mother was - if not, more. she specifically remembers just how much it hurt when beverly left.

it turns out that zelda EXCELSSS with a weapon. she relishes in the feeling of being naturally good at something, a feeling that's foreign to her until her time under the red eye. this, along with the discrepancies in her memories drives a wedge between her & gideon. he remains averse to the red eye's efforts well into his teenage years. zelda grows resentful of this, especially when his attempts to sway her are relentless. she couldn't believe how desperate he was to leave, how he yearned to go back to beverly & their life from before. to zelda, it seemed he was a little jealous now that she was the one who stood out. so she turns on him, puts all of her effort into her training, & finishes a year earlier than expected. she receives her first assignment (of many to come) at twenty.

since then, she's been at work as an assassin for a solid seven years & she's damn good at it. i imagine she's been in new york for maybe a year - ish? (+ her bartending job) but that's subject to change.

personality + extra

plucky, theatrical, waggish, loquacious, erratic, blunt

plucky. craves adventure and novelty. incredibly brave, almost to a concerning degree. that is, she tends to get herself into a lot of sticky situations because of a chronic overconfidence in herself. but then she gets herself out of it and that only adds to said confidence, so it's like a fucked up cycle. a lot of it comes from her blind optimism. she's relentless when she wants something and failure is simply not an option <3

theatrical. everything about zelda and her mannerisms are big and dramatic for no reason. she talks with her hands, has a voice and a laugh that carries throughout a room, etc etc.

waggish. very witty, sarcastic. loves a good bit. can see the humor in every situation, but it gets to be a problem because sometimes she fails to see the gravity in approaching a situation with some semblance of seriousness.

loquacious. very sociable n flirtyyyyy! she can approach just about anyone and make friends with them. she knows how to turn on the charm, but to the right eye it probably comes off as very ? salesmen - esque. she's nice but mainly for her own gain.

erratic. she doesn't even know what the word 'pragmatic' means. realism? she is not familiar with them!!! she is fun but a lot to handle, and incredibly unpredictable. can come off as a little unhinged because well, she is.

blunt. has absolutely no filter. will tell you like it is. she's only reticent when it comes to her own feelings and spilling them for someone else to observe and prod at; she has a big problem letting people in.

i think i have painted her to be a certain way but make no mistake!! while she can be a little ditzy, she is very devoted to the work she does for the red eye & actively does all that she can to bolster her name under the organization. it's the only facet of her life where she's no-nonsense. she is every bit as vicious and violent as she is giddy and sweet.

wanted connections

here's a link to my wanted plots tag!

i'm actually braindead after writing all of this but give me: red eye buddies (for lack of a better term JDKMSMKS), ex romantic connections, enemies / people she's rubbed the wrong way, maybe someone she knows from childhood, friends, regulars at her bartending job, coworkers at her bartending job, pseduo-sibling friends, maternal figure, ummmmmm i'll take anything you throw at me tbh so pls <;3

[mindsmade]

𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐍.

what’s your phone wallpaper : some minimalist white lineart of mountains against a black bg last song you listened to : literally every artist coming by on eurovision songfestival rn sjfijs i think the last one was latvia currently reading: nothing currently, two brain cells are too tired last movie : uhhhhhhh last show : sharpe ( staring at u @lacomandante and @properbastard ) how tall are you? : 169 cm and i cba to convert that piercings / tattoos? : helix and 12 mm tunnel in my right ear, conch in my left, centre labret ( got rid of the side one ) – lmao forgot my tats: half sleeve on my right arm with a bunch of geometric patterns + a raven; olive branch on my left collarbone glasses ? contacts? : neither! last thing you ate? : i think it was a banana? hard to remember now that i can't taste anything sFSJJFD favorite color(s) : apart from grey, i like dark green a lot current obsession : nothing atm ... v upsetting to me jisdjf do you have a crush right now? : non ( and as someone who's like chronically in love, i'm happy with that LMAO ) favorite fictional character : it changes a lot but for some reason katherine pierce came to mind ... so we'll go with that 😂 last place you traveled : spain ( not counting the roadtrip back into coastal portugal )

tagged by: @valheri and @prvtocol ( thank you! )tagging: @afraidofchange / @stardustvein / @astremourante / @gunslingcr

[ao3feed-sambucky]

i can change (if it makes you fall in love)

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/42582945

by donniedont

It’s the day of the party. Bucky and Sam are walking down the street toward Natasha’s apartment and Sam looks up at the sky.

“Do you think it’s going to snow?” he asks.

“Uh, I don’t think snow was in the forecast?” Bucky replies.

Sam winces. “Dammit,” he says, “I was kinda hoping this would get snowed out.”

Bucky tosses his head back and laughs, because what else is he supposed to do?

Natasha tries to provide an olive branch to the group by hosting a half assed party. Bucky wonders if this is his breaking point.

Words: 7808, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 31 of well lit interruptions

Fandoms: Marvel (Comics)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, M/M, Multi

Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Daken Akihiro, Bobby Drake, Wanda Maximoff, Pietro Maximoff, Vision (Marvel), Jeanne-Marie Beaubier, Jean-Paul Beaubier

Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes & Natasha Romanov, Minor or Background Relationship(s)

Additional Tags: Mental Health Issues, House Party, Crushes, Mutual Pining, Polyamory, Unsanitary Living Conditions, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Smoking, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/42582945

[jayde-jots]

Hi I really like your work, I was wondering now how Hotr, duck vs diesel stuff, the Scottish twins esp spiteful brakevan and escape with Oliver works in giant au(how would they react to giants/other giants like Thomas to which twin was a giant, I forgot my bad) Is there a giant in the miniature line if there r any and what were the ardesdale reactions? Sorry for asking a lot

I'm not sure what hotr stands for so I'm afraid I can't answer that one. As for Duck vs Diesel, Diesel is a brand new build and is brought to Sodor fresh out of the works. At first Duck doesn't like the idea of a diesel coming to Sodor, especially since Diesel's class is basically the more modern version of Duck's class, so the panniers and 08's had a few issues here and there. Things get pretty bad and before the other can go too far Thomas puts a stop to it. He separates the two with Sir Topham's permission and Diesel goes to work at the quarry on Thomas's branch line. Diesel doesn't mind Thomas or other giants, he was born in a generation where giants are common after all. Originally Donald came to Sodor by himself, but he was always looking up and around wherever he went, almost like he was keeping an eye out for something. And ever since his arrival things had been going missing on the island. Some of the fish on Henry's train had been going missing, and Thomas and Glynn could sense something outside the sheds at night, and the engines could always feel the ground shaking at night whenever they had to pull a train. At some point a rouge giant came in kicking up a fuss, when Donald became in trouble from this savage who should appear out from the ocean with a mighty roar but Douglas! Douglas proceeded to almost kill the lawless giant when Thomas and Glynn stepped in and tore the two apart. It was a kaiju battle until the rouge giant fled and so did Douglas. Later on, Donald would explain who Douglas is to the others and they'd all head to the piers at Arlesbough. Donald would call for his brother and we'd get to see the twin giant of Donald the Caledonian. Eventually, Douglas would join the NWR with the support of Thomas and Glynn. As for the spiteful brake van? That wouldn't really happen since giants aren't allowed to push trains up hills for safety reasons. Oliver would be a giant on cull road (Giant death row). He'd be saved by Douglas no less and brought to Sodor to which he would be brought onto the fleet with his emotional support van Toad. Toad would be tied to Oliver's chest more than likely and be carried around by him everywhere they went. Duck and Oliver would be very close as per-usual but he would also be very close to Douglas. (Maybe developing a crush? Idk). As for if there's a giant on the Arlesdale? Yes, there will be. After Oliver visits the line Bert becomes infected and turns into a giant.

[calronhunt]

i am always thinking about cob but now youve got me thinking about modified so like. what would the cob mains be like in the modifiedverse? what would their demon blood %s be and what emotions would they lose if they did?

oh this is so much fun....I would imagine Crushed Olive Branch in Modified Bliss verse would probably just be a sort of normal modern au with some other weird elements. Like they're really just a group of friends and junk.

However, Dominic would ABSOLUTELY be afflicted. I'm not sure how much demon blood he would have exactly but probably like?? 75-80% range. and his lost emotion would probably be like...fear. which perhaps would free of him of his insane internalized homophobia but we can only hope. Perhaps then we would have a version of Dominic that is like Academy Dom but grown up. Theron/Dominic but it's normal

Theron I think would have pretty low demon blood. like maybe 30-40% range. He wouldn't lose an emotion at that amount but he would be more susceptible to demon related illnesses. I mostly think that's how it would be because there are some families in modifiedverse who really don't want any more demon blood than necessary put into their families. But again, maybe in this society he would be under the influences of insane internalized homophobia.

Mattias, Nerissa, and Ava i think would be run of the mill average person range which is around 50%. So no lost emotions between any of them either. I think Mattias would have the same kind of role as Yuri, where he would be super into studying and learning more about demons in the world (and maybe being attracted to them).

In this hypothetical MB!COB au, I think they would all be going to college together for vastly different things and having weird relationship drama. and Perhaps Theron/Dom/Mattias have a normal fucking love triangle instead of whatever the fuck is happening in the comic. Also Dom is a lot gayer but this time it's on Purpose.

[hellhunde]

OC Kiss Week day 7: Dare

Technically not their first kiss but the one that led to their fwb arrangement! What's a little kiss between drunk Completely Platonic boys in Paris?

[engrossedindulgence]

CoB Typology Analysis 2, Enneagram Edition

Can't sleep so I'm writing this instead LMAO as per the use' you can read Crushed Olive Branch here @crushedolivebranch !

Theron:

Theron is a bit hard to type, he comes off as a heart type due to his excessive need for approval, but I could also see him being a gut type. Gut types are the anger triad, including:

8s=Externalize their anger (outwardly angry and aggressive, confrontationl, and hates being seen as weak) 9s=Internalize their anger (inwardly angry but doesn't show it as not to cause a scene. Hates confrontation and lessens their needs to avoid it) 1s=Moralize their anger (can be inward or outward, but they need to uphold their idea of perfection which comes from their righteous fury)

I think it's pretty obvious he's a 9, 9's sin is sloth (specifically cognitive sloth) and this is shown in him HEAVILY. He doesn't really care about his own needs, minimalizing them and only thinking about others. Though I think 9 fits him to a T, I don't think gut triad does in general. He definitely is the kind of person who relies on gut instincts, but he doesn't have that much anger. 9s are still in the anger triad, meaning they ARE angry they just don't show it

As for the heart triad argument, he needs excessive approval and wants to be seen as the best, the only reason I believe that this could be wrong is because his need for approval doesn't come internally, but from external sources (his father and Dom), but I'm not too sure on this part LoL I specifically think he's a 4. 4's sin is envy, they want a sense of normalcy and feel like they don't belong. This fits him as well, he desperately craves this sense of "normalcy" that was forced onto him

So my conclusion is he's most likely a 9, specifically a 9w8 (though wings don't really matter, I don't see him as a 1 at all. He doesn't have many morals himself, but he is a protector of the weak and does use his gut instinct often, shown when he blurts out his confession to Dominic without thinking) but he could also be a 4w3? I'm not exactly sure what his wing would be, but I'm leaning towards 3 since he works hard to be a good shadowhunter, and he doesn't seem to use knowledge to cover up insecurities like a 5.

As for the tritype, I'm gonna say 946, I don't see him as either a 7 or 5 fix (not hedonistic enough to be a 7 and not as knowledge seeking as a 5).

9w8s are stereotyped as peace makers, but they know how to stand up for themselves when the time comes for it. 946s are stereotyped as anxious people who don't seem to fit into the idea of normalcy.

Examples of 9w8s include:

Sans (Undertale)

Patrick Star (Spongebob)

Jake the Dog (Adventure Time)

Shrek

Willow Park (ToH)

Examples of 946s include:

Marceline (Adventure Time)

Legoshi (Beastars)

Willow Park (ToH)

Peter Parker (Spiderman Trilogy)

Mordecai (Regular Show)

Full Type So Far: ISFJ - 9w8 - 946

Dominic:

Dominic is the most heart triad of the heart triads LMAO Heart triad includes:

2s: Need for love

3s: Need for recognition

4s: Need to be someone else

I think it's pretty obvious he's not a 4, he's too overly confident and not envious he's just. Kinda like that. As for whether he's a 3 or a 2, I think 2 is kind of obvious. 2s are often seen as the "helpful" enneagram but that's dumbing it down a lot. 2s are people who give to get, they need love and when unhealthy they full on expect it. This is shown with his entire relationship with Theron. When Theron starts spending more time with Mattias, Dom gets jealous NOT because he actually gives a shit about Theron but because he needs to be loved, and expects it even if he's acting like a little bitch LMAO.

As for the other triads, he's definitely a 7. He's not really the average appearance of a 7, but combined with his 2-dom I feel like his gluttony shows in the form of his love need. He needs to be loved by EVERYONE and the people who don't love him need to admire him for being so attractive. 7s are often egotistical hedonists, which fits him at least somewhat. I wouldn't really call him a hedonist, but he's DEFINITELY egotistical and hedonistic traits do come in the form of putting himself and his happiness first.

The gut triad is a harder subject though, I think, stereotypically, he's most like an 8, but I'm not exactly sure? He definitely shows the outward aggression of an 8, though that's in the form of passive aggression, but he doesn't have the rest of the traits. He has no lust, no motor dominance, he doesn't exactly care about excitement or needing more in the physical realm. Really, the closest reason I think for him being an 8 is that he fits the usual definition of lust to a T. He's definitely not a 1 or a 9 tho so. 8's gonna have to do LMAO

Oh I forgot wing, he's a 3 wing. Not an ounce of 1 in this man LMAO

2w3's are heavily stereotyped, and usually are stereotyped as people who are helpful purely for recognition. 278's are like. Bastards. Idk what else to say.

Examples of 2w3s from PDB:

Michael Scott (The Office)

Misa Amane (Death Note)

Monika (DDLC)

Percy Jackson

Tamaki Suoh (Ouran High)

Examples of 278s from PDB:

Aphrodite (Mythology)

Spinel (Steven Universe)

Hooty (The Owl House)

Lumpy Space Princess (Adventure Time)

Beatrice (Umineko. I am putting this one here for me. My queen.)

Full Type So Far:

ESFP - 2w3 - 278

Mattias:

Ok so. Mattias is a bit hard to type. He doesn't have the academic nature of a head type, but he also doesn't have the sensory dominance of a gut type or the accessive need for approval of a heart type. I think, out of all of these. If I had to pick one from each triad, I'd say 4, 6, and 9

4s are people who WANT to be different, they're often individualists and like to be seen as different, but this is because they're heavily envious of others. I don't really know if I see this in Mattias? It's kind of hard, he's not a person who needs to be recognized by others, he's cool being himself, so that takes 4 off the list.

6s are security and relationship oriented, he's definitely not counterphobic, so his need for security would be in developing relationships, which I think fits him best. His academy days were full of him getting into relationships, though we don't know if it's fully for security he clearly needs other people. You COULD say this fits E2 better, but he craves love doesn't need it, if that makes any sense LMAO. Pretty much, 2s live off of love because it inflates their ego, 6s need love because they want to feel safe, and I think the latter fits Mattias a bit more.

I've discussed 9, which I think fits him a bit more than 4, but I don't think it's his dominant. He's definitely conflict avoidant, but 9s are still in the gut triad, meaning they have anger and are sensory people. Mattias is the opposite of that, he's not sensory in the slightest, he even disregards sensory experiences a lot of the time. This is shown when he meets Theron, he doesn't care about training because he's scared. He values his own security and his percieved survival over what actually was happening in reality. It's used comedically, but it's also shown when he's afraid of being "fused" to the rock wall, showing how he's less realistic than a gut triad-dom would be

SO in conclusion, I think he's a 694 or maybe a 692? I'mma stick with 694 for now :P and 6w7 !

6w7s are stereotyped as analytical and anxious people with a hedonistic streak, 694 tritype was covered before, but with a 6-dom instead of a 4-dom, it'd be more focused on security and less focused on identity

Examples of 6w7s from PDB:

Sokka (Avatar)

Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad)

Edward Elric (FMA)

Woody (Toy Story)

Phoenix Wright (Ace Attorney)

Examples of 694s from PDB:

Killua Zoldyck (HunterxHunter) (Again LoL)

Shinji Ikara (Evangelion)

Kakashi again LoL

Charlie Brown

Alphys (Undertale)

Full type so far:

INFP - 6w5 - 694

Nerissa:

Nerissa seems like a cut and dry 1 tbh, though I think 6 would fit her better. She seems more head triad than gut triad, she doesn't really have that much anger and her perfectionism comes from external forces, not internal anger. She doesn't show much anger at all, instead she seems incredibly insecure and anxious, which is head type domain.

Her need for connections is lesser than Mattias, but she definitely uses connections for security. I mean, she ends up "dating" Dom because she wants to seem straight due to fear of homophobia, I would go into this more but I'm pretty sure the evidence I have of this is only on patreon so I'm shutting my yapper LMAO. If u know, u know.

As for her other triads, she's definitely a 1. Doesn't fit the external anger of the 8 or the internal sloth of a 9. As for heart triad, I think 3 is the only one that makes sense. She doesn't have a love need, nor is she overly envious of other people. She just wants to be the best version of herself she can be, which might come off as more 1 (since 3s are more actively looking for praise) but since it's just a fix it works imo

SO I think she's a 6w5 (didn't explain the 5 but I feel like I don't have to. She is not hedonistic at ALL) and 613

6w5s are stereotyped as anxious, but more analytical than a 6w7, and 613's are stereotyped as perfectionists with a need to be the best

Examples of 6w5s from PDB:

Bruno Madrigal (Encanto)

Killua Zoldyck (HxH)

Kakashi Hatake (Naruto)

Dipper Pines (Gravity Falls)

Guts (Berserk)

Example sof 613s from PDB:

Dipper Pines (Gravity Falls)

Dwight Schrute (The Office)

Mako (The Legend of Korra)

Robin (Teen Titans)

Knuckles (Sonic)

Full Type:

ENTJ - 6w5 - 613

Extra Characters that are mainly vibe typed:

Ava: 9w8, definitely. Her sloth is palpable LMAO. As for her tritype, I think she's head>heart, and 7 (just wants to have some sort of fun, doesn't use analysis to cover her fears like a 6 or 5) for head type, and for heart type I'm not sure? I'm going to say 2 due to her wanting to be liked only because she doesn't show the need for achievments of a 3 or the envy of a 4

Already showed examples of 9w8s, but here's some 972 exampls from PDB: Patrick Star-Spongebob, Jake the Dog-Adventure Time, Wendy-Gravity Falls

Full Type: ISTP - 9w8 - 972

Cicero: Honestly, not sure? I'm gonna say 6, seems more anxiety prone than attention seeking or anger based. I would specifically say Head>Heart>Gut, but that's just a guess. Also typing 6w7 (also a guess) and 629

Examples of 629s from PDB: Gretchen Wieners-Mean Girls, Samwise Gamgee-Lord of the Rings, Lean Scott Kennedy-Resident Evil

Full type: ENFJ - 6w7 - 629

Roman: 8, his entire deal is questoning authority like. Classic 8. As for the rest, heart>head, 3>7(purely a guess tho :P) and 7 wing!

Examples of 8w7s from PDB: Tyler Durden-Fight Club, Anakin Skywalker-Star Wars, Gon-HunterxHunter

Examples of 837s from PDB: Zeus-Mythology, Inuyasha, Grunkle Stan-Gravity Fall

Full type: ESTP - 8w7 - 837

Trevor: Honestly, not too sure? I'm gonna say 7, he's flamboyant but has a good head on his shoulder, he likes making jokes but like a healthier 7 he knows when to take things seriously. 6-wing, no way this dude has an 8 wing LMAO. Also gut>heart, and 9>3

Examples of 7w6s from PDB: Spongebob Squarepants, Luz Noceda-The Owl House, Aang-Avatar

Examples of 793s from PDB: Ryuk-Death Note, Ryoji Kaji-Eva, Kensude Aida-Eva

Full Type: ENFP - 7w6 - 793

Kiera: I've gotten a better look at his personality (tho I still think ESTJ fits LMAO) but he's definitely an 8 imo. Definitely gut>head or heart, with heart as his second fix. He wants to be a leader and hates being seen as weak, he's scared that others don't take kindly to his leadership and takes actions to prevent that, along with not afraid of confrontation. As for his tritype, 836 fits I think

Examples of 8w9s from PDB: Darth Vader-Star Wars, Kratos-God of War, Rosa Diaz-Brooklyn 99

Examples of 836s from PDB: Kratos-God of War, Frieze-Dragon Ball, Shego-Kim Possible

Ok that's all, if this changes tones drastically it's cuz it took like. 2 weeks to write LMAO

[clanofjones]

Did Tumblr order some vent art?

No?

Well shit

this is better than therapy

Me venting but with W O R D S under the cut

for context, the crying person (obviously) is me of about a year ago. In the bottom left-hand corner, the person with half lidded eyes is my ex best friend. I did not know what was going on, and instead of correcting this, she iced me out.

So I gave her a week to get over herself.

She extended an olive branch, explaining that she needed more time.

I gave her another three, marking a month since the spat.

She then said the quotes pictured above to me. She told me that it was my fault she was avoiding our other friends, and how it should be the other way around, me alone and spiteful, and her with a supporting, understanding group of friends. This was all over text, so the physical representation is more my processing her tone than anything else.

And the worst part?

She was my best friend of nearly five years.

Even worse?

I had a crush on her. Not only was I crushing on my best friend, but said friend was toxic, and kicked me out of her life in the worst way I could imagine. It was the closest thing I've felt to a breakup, and my parents told me that it looked similar, and seemed to be a breakup in all but romantic.

It feels like basic logic, but did you know that looking at something/someone sad while sad makes you even sadder? Mirrors were kinda my enemy for a WHILE.

I've since then come to realize that she was toxic, several other things she said/did brought me to this conclusion, and I've come to terms with it, although I do wish, from time to time, that I could spend time with her again, even if she was toxic.

Thanks for reading this far down if you did- I'm approaching the anniversary of... this whole situation, so any support would be appreciated, I'm going to be in a bit of a funk during that time. First week of September, for any who might want to know.

[ebiemidnightlibrarian]

THE MAGIC OF TIME | CHAPTER 01

SUMMARY | MY MASTERLIST

Warnings: Light Angst.

Word Count: 2.2K

THE LATE afternoon had turned the sky beautifully purple. In her room was a young woman with long brown hair and deep brown eyes. Lying on her bed, she was absorbed in a book. The copy had a velvety red cover, with the words “Labyrinth” in gold, on the cover was also “Written by S. Williams”.

The young woman's name? Aurora. In her late twenties, she was in charge of her parents' old house and looked after her naughty little brother, Harry. Three years ago she had lost her parents, returning to her sad orphan state.

Aurora had been adopted by the Alfords when she was just eight years old. The Alfords believed they could not have children, which had been disproved after five years, when Mrs. Kathe Alford, — aged thirty-two —, went through a risky pregnancy, she gave birth to little Harry Alford, for whom Aurora is nurturing an unconditional love, — despite the constant arguments, natural between siblings.

Downstairs, Harry ran into the house with a toy rocket under his arm, his clothes filthy with dirt and mud marks. Behind him, a tall young man with short brown hair held the wooden door and entered, then closed it.

Aurora heard the door slam against the wall, sighed, closing the book and placing it on the night stand, rose and stretched. Once her gaze darted around the room, she caught sight of a white barn owl watching her from a tree branch near her porch.

A beautiful owl, with black orbs like a doll's, she always appeared there at night. Sometimes, — as she was already used to the feathered presence —, the young woman would leave the glass doors open at night, even with the cold, which strangely did not affect her. She walked to the porch and leaned over the railing.

“Strange bird, why does it always come? There's nothing interesting here for you, but come to think of it, I like your company.” Slowly, she reached out her wrist towards the pompous perched bird and ran her white hand through its mingled feathers, caressing it calmly.

She suddenly heard Harry's hurried footsteps going up some stairs and then his childish scream:

“Aure! I'm home!” She yelled the little boy happily. Aurora closed her eyes, squeezing them tightly, her forehead throbbing, it hadn't been a good day. She stared at the owl.

"Well, it looks like I have to go, see you later.", She announced, raising her wrist so that the bird was positioned for the flight.

“I think I've just reached a new level of insanity, after all, how many people talk to an owl?” thought Aurora. The owl flapped its wings as it glided across the sea velvet into the night.

Aurora went downstairs and spotted Harry eating a sandwich, sitting lazily on the sofa. Oliver, — the young man who had come in with little Harry —, was standing leaning against the foot of the stairs, his arms crossed, staring at the floor with unfocused eyes. He wore a sleeveless jumper with a red V-neck over a white-sleeved shirt, jeans, brown fabric boots, and a leather shoulder bag. Oliver Farlow was the most perfect example of a shy young prodigy.

"Good night, Harry.", said the chestnut happily, Oliver turned around with glistening brown eyes, smiling shyly.

"Hello, Oliver!" said the young woman smiling, hurrying down the stairs.

For a split second, Aurora misstep and her body slumped until it hit Oliver's slight figure. Both rolled briefly across the freshly cleaned wooden floor. When they stopped rolling, — stopping in a partially compromising position —, Oliver, — who was slightly crushed by Aurora's body —, lifted his rosy face to stare at the bewildered orbs of the chestnut.

With an embarrassed smile, the orphan Alford stood up and then helped the young man to do the same. A brief exchange of sheepish looks and then finally she noticed: Behind them, Harry had already finished eating and was now standing behind Oliver, at a distance, hugging himself and blowing kisses to his sister, insinuating.

"Uh… so, what were you doing to spend the afternoon?", the young woman's inhibited expression transmuted into a distinct irritability. “How dare he?”, she thought.

“Ah! We were doing tests to see who could launch the rocket farthest, I confess that I lost shamefully.”, commented the boy laughing as he noticed his friend's diversion of attention. “Alicia was there too, but she had to leave. You know how strict her parents are.”, Oliver spoke with a childish smile, trying to pretend, as well as her, their embarrassment.

Aurora looked past the boy to Harry, who was now kissing a pillow pretending to be his sister.

“I'm glad you had fun.” She tried to mask her anger with a forced smile and a strange, pleasant tone.

Oliver was about to turn his face in the direction of the little blond boy, in order to try to understand what Aurora was looking at so much. She started to panic and pointed to a random room in the house asking 'What is that?' and when the boy looked she pushed him slightly saying 'Oh God, I think I saw a spider'. While the boy was naively distracted, Aurora picked up one of the shoes and threw it at Harry. The boy moaned as the shoe hit his abdomen.

“I don't see anything,” said the young man innocently.

“I must be seeing things. I think you better go Oliver, it's late, and I don't want you to have any problems with your grandfather…”, The boy nodded without understanding and spoke avoiding the girl's eyes.

"Yeah, you're right, well I'm on my way, bye Aure..." Passing by Harry, he stroked the boy's blond hair quickly. "See you tomorrow little astronaut…", nodding one last time, Oliver slammed the door and Harry turned his gaze to his sister in front of him.

Aurora seethed with rage, her arms crossed, her eyes scorching, and Harry could have sworn he had seen smoke come out of her ears.

"I loved the joke, I'm laughing so far.", Harry lowered his head.

"Next time, I'm going to smash a plate so hard on your head that a unicorn horn will grow on your forehead!" Aurora apologized for having thrown the shoe at him with a half laugh. "Pardon me. Does it hurt?” The little boy shook his head.

“It was just a joke I didn't think I was going to annoy you, sorry…”, The little boy said lowering his eyes, embarrassed.

“Listen to Harry. It's fine, but don't let this happen again, tomorrow Oli will come and keep you company again, because of the costume ball, remember? Don't say anything about what happened today, please, and don't do it again, okay? You know how he feels about me.” She walked over to him and gave him a tight hug.

He was just like his father when he was alive, loving and stupidly playful.

"Now go take a shower, you're dirtier than Pigpen!", She laughed, and Harry went to her room to bathe.

The girl went to the kitchen, grabbed a glass, poured water and sipped the liquid. Looking at the hidden cabinet over the fridge, she saw there were six bottles of wine, she sighed. “Screw you! After a shitty day, a little alcohol won't hurt me.” She thought. Picking up whatever cup was nearby, she opened the bottle and filled the cup, drinking it while letting some hot tears flow. She missed her parents, especially her mother, Kathe, with whom she had a lot in common.

The Next Night…

When she arrived at his house, it was almost midnight, coming from the costume ball that had taken place on the university campus. Celtic mythology was her speciality in the history course, and as such, she was in character.

The young woman was dressed in a medieval-style witch costume, which was now completely stained with red stains. The dress, once black, had now taken on a brownish, faded tone. A tiara of red flowers adorned her hair, a pair of long boots covered her aching feet, and her old necklace gleamed across her bosom.

Aurora used it forever, for what little she remembers of the time she spent in the orphanage, she remembers using it since that time, believing it to be the only thing left of her true parents.

Her brother was supposed to be sleeping, just like Oliver was on the couch, his face hidden by an open book. He had also been invited to the ball, they took the same course, but Oliver was never much for parties and was lucky not to go, so he offered to look after Harry overnight until she arrived. Young Farlow has no idea what he has escaped from. Since, in fact, the invitation they received was nothing more than an attempt at public humiliation, which unfortunately happened to the poor girl.

Aurora climbed the stairs to her room, when she got close to the entrance, she saw the door to her parents' old room, ajar, however, she always kept it closed. She went to the door, peering through the gap, Harry was trying to close a dresser drawer.

The orphan Alford always kept everything exactly the same. Every frame and object. It was a little sanctuary for her, she never went into the room except to clean it, so the key was always kept in her room. When she saw her brother rudely knocking things to the floor and breaking frames while trying to close the dresser, she quickly got angry.

“What's going on?” she thought. Opening the door, he looked at her startled, then hid something behind his back. She looked around, part of the room was very messy, the other had things untouched. There was broken glass near Harry's feet.

“What did you do?” She held out her hand, and he handed her a framed picture of her, her brother, and her parents, before the trip where they died.

A tragic plane crash, they died just hours after the photo was taken, it was the only photo left of them together, as a family, now destroyed.

"Look what you did! Since Mom and Dad died, I am responsible for you, I demand that you respect me! Follow the only damn rule in this house!” She paused, breathing fast, that was the last straw, as if having humiliated her in the middle of the entire campus, throwing a punch at her, hadn't already been bad enough. “That was the only photo we had together, all the rest has got burn with them in the plane! Our last memory, Harry! Go to your bedroom. NOW!” She yelled, she was actually very angry, which was a very rare thing to happen, Harry ran to his room, slamming the door hard.

Downstairs, Oliver woke up to her scream and quickly stumbled up the stairs.

"Are you okay?!" asked the bigger one, stopping when he saw her sitting on the floor holding the picture frame, a few drops of blood mixed between her pale fingers and the cracked glass, he sat down beside her.

“Has Harry… done something wrong?” he asked.

“He always does something wrong, but this time it was too much.” Then they heard thunder outside the house. Both looked toward the porch, a brief fear passing through their orbs.

“It was my fault I should have paid more attention to him…”, She brought her fingers to his lips. The same was silent.

Young Farlow had been her friend since she had been adopted by the Alfords, they grow up together. And there had always been a certain mutual interest between them, but Aurora was not about to destroy a friendship as beautiful as theirs. So she always avoided showing any kind of interest, even if there was a small part of her being that corresponded to the boy's feelings.

“It's not your fault Oliver, you did your part, kept him safe. He's the one who broke the only rule I imposed. You know, he likes you a lot, and I usually make deals with him to obey me, if he does, then I'll let him have you…” He interrupted her.

"I like him a lot too, so I want to help...", Oliver, broke the proximity between them a little more.

"Now you can't do anything, this is between me and him, It's better you go, it's past midnight.", She stood up and helped him do the same, but before she could have any reaction, Oliver kissed her. Briefly and went away.

Aurora sighed sadly despite the heat in her chest, that was not what she had in mind. Walking, she went to her brother's room, he was sulky, curled up on the bed, crying softly, when she approached he said between crying and sobbing. Perhaps without knowing she was there.

“I hate you, I wish you had died in the place of mom and dad…”, parting her rosy lips in shock at what she heard, a thin tear trickled down her cheek. Then, without thinking, she uttered the words as another thunder rumbled outside.

“I wish the Goblins would show up and take you…”, she spoke through her tears, at that moment she really wanted to take him away.

The light went out and everything was soaked in a painful pitch, when another thunder rumbled and the light of lightning illuminated her brother's bed she saw that he was gone.

A/N: Well that's how the chaos that this story will be going forward starts haha.

I'm still getting used to Tumblr, but probably the second chapter will come out today, but the third chapter is still unpredictable, so sorry if it takes a while. In between, I end up releasing some of my original projects, maybe an anthology of gothic tales I'm working on?

Anyway, I'm glad you've read this far, as it means I can hold your attention, and I'm doing something right, let me know what you think ;)

See you soon!

[harlowdoylepi]

Third Quarter Quell AU is finally here

Took me long enough, and frankly I have no good excuse for why I haven't posted this sooner. This is probably kind of cheesy, and maybe a little cringe, but I had fun writing it and said I would post it so here we go.

The Third Quarter Quell: An aio AU by @harlowdoylepi

Prologue:

The year is 2497 A.D., in the country of Panem, a continent that was once known as North America. After a global climate crisis, the surviving peoples of this nation rallied and created the new nation of Panem, a land split into thirteen districts, all run by the tyrannical Capitol. Because of the horrible work loads, the rampant poverty, and starvation, the districts rebelled. The war raged for years, but in the end the Capitol won. They obliterated District 13, as they were the leaders behind the rebellion. As a punishment, the Capitol assembled The Hunger Games, an annual event where one boy and one girl from 12-18 were chosen as tributes to fight to the death in an arena. The arenas could be anything from a frozen tundra, to a dry desert, to a forest.

The last one alive wins, and is crowned victor. The victor is rewarded with a life of plenty for them and their family. It's a game of survival, wits, strength, and courage. At least, that's what it is portrayed to be by the Capitol media. For most of the districts, it means a death sentence, and brutal mutilation, dehumanization, and a families' loss....

Jules Kendall lives in District 12, the poorest and smallest district. She and her older sister live with their step mother, after their father left them for a better district. Connie worked at a small shop in the town square, and Jules would hunt in the woods, (albeit illegally.)

Jules was not what you would call the social type. She only had a handful of friends, one being her older sister Connie, but she was more like a mother than anything else. The other was Jeff Lewis, who had taught Jules how to hunt and gather, and was primarily responsible for Jules, Connie, and their mother 's survival after her father left. She thought for sure Connie loved Jeff, and he loved her back, but one day he disappeared without a trace. No one knew where he went, and it was whispers around the districts assumed Jeff had been caught by the Capitol doing something illegal.

The only other two Jules felt she cared about was Gale, her hunting partner, and Priscilla. Two winters before, Priscilla's parents caught the flu and died tragically, and the Kendalls took her in. Jules cared for her like she was her own sister, and in many ways, she was.

On the year of the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Priscilla's name was drawn at the reaping. Almost without thinking, Jules volunteered to go to the games in her place. The boy tribute from District 12 was Buck Oliver, a boy Jules did not know. They went to the Capitol with Effie Trinket, their publicist, and Haymitch Abernathy, their mentor, who was drunk most of the time.

Thanks to their stylist team at the Capitol, Cinna and Portia, the pair soon caught the Capitol's eye, with their fiery outfits, Jules becoming known as "The Girl on Fire".

During the interviews with the Capitol's own Bryan Dern, Buck confessed he'd had a crush on Jules for years. Jules is taken aback, and now is faced with the pain of having to go through the Games and probably watch him die, if she doesn't have to kill him herself.

Once the games started, Jules ran away with a small backpack and hid, trying to avoid the Career tributes, the teens from districts 1, 2, and 4, who were trained to be in the games ever since they were young. Later, Jules found out Buck had joined the careers as they hunted for her. A couple of days later the careers found her, and they chased her up a tree. Unable to climb as high as she did, they set up camp at the tree, hoping to wait her out. In the early morning, Rue, a 12 year old girl from district 11 came to a nearby tree and silently pointed to a tracker jacker nest. Jules climbed up and started sawing the branch the nest was attached to and dropped it down on the Careers. The poisonous wasps attacked and the Careers ran away, but one girl didn't make it. Jules came down and took the girl's weapon: a bow and a set of arrows. Jules got stung by the tracker jackers, and she saw Buck urging her to run away. Seeing Cato, the district 2 boy, she took off into the forest. As she continued the venom started to affect her and she passed out.

Once she woke up, Jules formed an alliance with Rue, who had taken care of her while she was passed out. Rue was small, innocent, and strongly reminded Jules of Priscilla. Two days later, Rue got caught in a trap and was speared through by the District 1 career named Marvel. In retaliation, Jules shot him through the throat. Jules sat by Rue as she died, and sang softly to her. Once she died, Jules honored her by covering Rue's body in flowers.

By now the only tributes who were left were her and Buck, a redheaded girl she called Foxface, Thresh, who was Rue's district partner, and Cato and Clove, from District 2. The gamemakers announced that if two tributes from the same district are left, they could both be the victors. At this Jules rushed to find Buck. Later she found him with a large sword wound in his leg, left by Cato. They hid out in a cave for several days, and Haymitch sent them several sponsor gifts with private notes to Jules telling her to pretend to be in love with Buck to win the audience's favor.

Finally, through a final showdown with some wolf-like creatures, called muttations, Cato was killed, leaving Jules and Buck the only two left alive in the arena. They waited for the hovercraft to take them away, but it didn't come. Then, the Gamemakers decided to renounce their rule; so Jules and Buck had to battle to the death. Buck refused to kill Jules because he loved her. Jules wasn't sure about being in love with him, but knew if she killed him, she'd never be able to live with the guilt. Suddenly, she had an idea, a way to avoid the guilt of killing Buck, and to not give the Capitol the pleasure of watching them kill one another.  She took a handful of poisonous berries for each of them, and they agreed to eat them. Before they could they heard the panicked voices of the Gamemakers, announcing them as the double victors of the Hunger Games.

Now that the games were won, Jules hoped life would go back to normal. But she found that it would be anything but. Haymitch warned her that the Capitol would try to punish her for her defiance of the games' rules.

Later, when she and her family comfortably settled in their house at the Victor's Village, she is visited by Corialanus Snow, the president of Panem. He tells her that ever since her stunt in the games, there had been whispers and rumblings of an uprising in the districts, because of what she did. Whether it was intentional or not, Jules had ignited something that could easily "get out of hand"  as President Snow put it. The mockingjay that she wore as her district token in the arena had become a symbol. In the Capitol it was a fashion statement, but in the districts, it symbolized rebellion. Worried that by stepping out of line, it would cost her family's and friends' lives, Jules asked what she should do to help amend things. President Snow tells her that while she and Buck are on the victory tour, she must convince the audiences she is only a crazy, love-struck girl who was trying to save her love, not rebel against the Capitol.

On the train, Jules, Buck, and Haymitch hatched a plan to try and convince the audiences of their love. Jules did her best to act along. But all throughout the districts, signs of rebellion continued to become apparent. It had now become too large for them to stop it. Still they continued. The final interview ended with Buck proposing to her. President Snow came to congratulate them, and Jules later found out that she did not succeed in quelling the rebellion.

Once they went back to District 12, life only became stranger. New peacekeepers were sent to the district, and made life very difficult for the citizens. Gale got whipped for hunting in the woods. The old electric fence on the outside of the district became live again for the first time in years. The wedding planning still went on, and Jules was trying to figure out some way to get out of it.

A month later, President Snow announced the 75th Hunger Games, or the Third Quarter Quell, a version of the Games that came every 25 years with some new twist, to make the games more difficult and deadly. The twist: This year's tributes would be reaped from the existing pool of victors.

Jules and Buck were going back to The Hunger Games.

Tribute Center, The Capitol.

Jules and Buck sat down in the dining room on their floor of the tribute building in the Capitol. The table was spread with platters of lavish food, but none of them felt like eating it.

Haymitch sat down with a small notebook in hand. "Alright, I need you guys to forget everything you think you know about the games. Last year was child's play, this year, you're dealing with experienced killers."

"What does that mean for us?" Buck asked.

"You two have a distinct disadvantage. Most of these victors have been friends for years. You're going to have to make some allies."

"No." Jules said flatly. 

"Sweetie, you two are already high on their kill list. You two go it alone, and their first move will be to hunt you down. Again, you have to establish some alliances." He tapped the table with each word of his last phrase.

Jules paused and shook her head slightly. "But- how could any of us trust each other?"

"It's not about trust, it's about staying alive." Haymitch said. He turned to the television and turned it on. Buck and Jules got up and sat on the couch in front of it.

"Let's review the tributes, if you can get some idea of who they are, it will make your decision easier for training later."

A pair of people flashed across the screen, smiling charmingly at the onlooking audience. The man was tall and fair; he had to have been well over six feet. The woman was small, but muscular. A circlet of gold rested on her ginger hair. It distinctly reminded Jules of Foxface.

Haymitch pointed to them. "That's Gloss and Monica, from District 1. They both volunteered back to back years and won. Capitol favorites, lots of sponsors, both are extremely deadly."

The scene changed to another man and woman with their hands together, raised, cheering as though they were already victorious. One was a hulk of a man, likely in his forties, the other was a muscular young woman in her thirties.

"That's Brutus and Enobaria; also deadly. You already know what last year's District 2 tributes were like, what do you think these ones are?"

They watched as Enobaria flashed a wide smile at the crowd, making her teeth stand out.

"What's with her teeth?" asked Buck.

"She had them filed into fangs so she can rip people's throats out." Haymitch said nonchalantly.

Jules could see the color drain out of Buck's face. "She's committed, I'll give her that."

The screen flashed again, showing a rather lanky man with oversize glasses and a woman who looked like she was in her fifties. Her brown hair was in a short bob. "And this is Eugene and Wiress. I'll let you guess which one is which. Neither are deadly with weapons, per se, but they're brilliant. And a little strange. He-" Haymitch pointed to Eugene. "-electrocuted six tributes at the same time. It was sort of an accident, but still. He knows his stuff. So does Wiress."

Next came a shot of a young man, early twenties. "That's Richard Maxwell of District four."

"He's from District four?" Jules asked, frowning. Physically, Richard fit the bill of a career tribute. He just didn't look like he was from Four. He had thick, dark hair and brown eyes that matched. A strong contrast to the usual fair headed people of four, who were often shades of red or blonde, with blue or green eyes. But he still had the deep tan that was the trademark of many of his people.

"Yes, that's him. He won the games at the age of fourteen, the youngest tribute to win yet. He's super humble."

"You're kidding."

"Yeah I am." Haymitch rolled his eyes. "He's a peacock, a total preener. He's smart though, and the Capitol loves him. He's charming, clever, and very skilled at combat, especially in water."

Jules' eyes narrowed. "What are his weaknesses?"

"Does he have any?" Buck asked.

"There is one: Mags." The screen changed to show an elderly woman with deep wrinkles and silver hair. Standing next to her was a young woman with red hair. The latter placed her hand over her mouth and started shaking as her name was read. Almost immediately, Mags raised her hand, volunteering to go in her place.

"She volunteered in place of Blair." He pointed to the younger woman. "Mags was the one who mentored Richard. The closest thing to family he's got, she practically raised him. If he's trying to protect her, it exposes him." 

"That can't be a weakness for long." Jules pointed out. "There's no way she could survive the arena, even if he was protecting her full time. A guy like him has to know that. I'll bet when it comes down to it he won't protect her."

They watched as Richard took Mags in his arms and tenderly kissed the top of her head. It almost appeared as though the elderly woman might have been crying. He whispered something in her ear.

"Well, either way, if she has to go, I hope it's quick. She's really a wonderful lady." Haymitch gave a sad shake of his head. The screen had already shown the District five tributes, but Haymitch didn't rewind as he felt they were not much of a threat. The next District was six. A gaunt man and woman stood there. Their eyes were sunken in and they were unkempt.

"Those are the Morphlings. I don't know their real names, and I'm not sure if they do. They won their games by camouflaging and hiding until they were the only ones left. They've been heavily medicated since, which I approve of. No threat."

Another young woman just a few years older than Jules came on the screen. She had light brown hair about shoulder length, with smoldering gray eyes. Her general expression carried the same effect. Those eyes sort of reminded Jules of Gale. She desperately wished he were here right now.

"Bridget Perkins, District Seven." Haymitch gestured to the young woman.

She held her head high and cast a defiant look at the cameras as her name was read. She stalked up to the stage and glared at the announcer.

"She's a tribute to remember. She first portrayed herself as weak, so she would go unnoticed by the others. I'd never seen such a scared tribute, and believe me I've seen some scared ones. Once she got into the arena, however, she was lethal. By the time there were just a few tributes left, the Games ended like that." Haymitch snapped his fingers. "She wanted out of there, and she was willing to do whatever it took to do it. She's definitely the type of person to ally with, not against." He turned off the TV.

"You're main mission at training tomorrow is to make allies. Most of these victors have been friends for years, but you've only just met a handful of them."

"What would happen if me and Buck tried to team up by ourselves and just hide out?" Jules asked.

“He already said, it'll just put us higher on their kill list." Buck pointed out.

"At least make them like you." Haymitch poured some wine into a glass. "Try to teach them what you know, or ask if they can give you pointers. Try to make small talk at meal times. Be friendly." 

"Ugh, oh no." Jules muttered under her breath.

"I know Buck will have no problems with that." Their mentor cast a wary side eye at Jules.

Jules frowned.

The automatic doors swished open and Effie came prancing in. This time, her hair was golden colored, and she had chunky gold heels to match. "Hello Jules, hello, Buck, hello, Haymitch. " She said cheerfully. "I just had this wonderful idea to give us a signature style. I thought we could color coordinate! Gold accents, inspired off of Jules' mockingjay pin. After all, we are a team, so it would just make sense to have us stand with the same colors."

"Oh brother." Haymitch mumbled. "If you think for one second I'm going to wear one of those silly wigs, or some kind of gold tone blush or eyeliner, you are badly, badly mistaken."

"Oh don't be ridiculous! You don't have the look for it anyway. Not quite the right face."

"Good."

"That's why I thought you could wear a golden bracelet, Buck could have a golden medallion, and Jules could have her mockingjay pin! I'll get them both to you tomorrow, after the tribute parade."

"Sounds nice, Effie." Buck replied pleasantly.

Effie put her finger to her painted lips, thinking briefly. "Now what did I come here for?" She tapped her finger a couple of times. "Oh, of course! Buck, Jules, your stylist teams both would like you to come to your rooms so they can do the preliminary preparations for the chariot ceremony tomorrow!"

"Yes ma'am."

"Okay."

Jules and Buck got up and walked to their rooms, silently. For the hundredth time since the quarter quell announcement, Jules felt the full weight of what was happening. She and Buck were going back into the arena. This time, she couldn't give the gamemakers the run around. They would ensure only one victor was coming out of that arena. Their odds were even slimmer than ever. She heard Buck's door shut, and she straightened at the noise. She was going to protect Buck no matter what happened. She was going to do everything in her power to get Buck out alive, even if it meant jumping in front of a spear, or a flying ax to save him. She didn't think she really loved him enough to marry him, but she did know between the two of them, he was the one who deserved to live. He could keep the revolution going.

She would think through this plan later, and talk to Haymitch to try and get him to help. That would be a whole mission in itself. Jules walked to her room with new resolve, holding her head high for the first time in days.

Yes. Her new strategy: keep Buck alive.

With a new plan in mind, Jules walked in confidently to her room, greeted by her stylist team.

[boxboysandotherwhump]

Jake guard dog AU: bad dog!

Orchid I know I promised the car whump snipped but I woke up today with Jake yelling: You‘re a monster! at his owner and I just had to write this scene first. The car whump will come soon though I haven‘t forgotten :3

Our lil angry Vidar/ Jake is @ashintheairlikesnow baby :3 and so is stinky garbage man Oliver Branch whom I hope is rotting in hell forever :3

Nicky baby and slime asshole Alexander are @orchidscript ‘s wonderful characters.

They both have a collab were Nicky and Baldur go on the sky resort trip and its the most wonderful thing please go and give it a read everyone who may has missed it <3

CW: dehumanization, electric shocks from shock collar,  implied non-con, fucky head-space,

„You‘ll do as I say Vidar. I am your master.“

„You-,“ the kneeling pet rasped, limbs twitching in the aftershocks of his collar going off, „ are a monster.“

The words were out before regret could find its way back in. There was no room for it in his body. Every crack and corner of him, was filled with rage.

No matter what kind of blazing pain his master would ignite in him, it would never be enough to burn the anger out of his heart.

The shock collar sparked to new life with the press of Mister Caldwell‘s finger on Sir‘s phone and he fell over backwards, spine arching of the floor.

Nicky yelled from behind their owners, but his sniffled pleas were drowned out by the screams ripping from Vidar‘s throat.

„Bad dog.“ Alexander Caldwell‘s eyes were angry ice fires in his face, bruised were Vidar‘s fist had bashed into a cheekbone. Something in him had simply snapped at the sight of this slime fucker tying Nicky to the bed and-

„Oliver you should demand a refund for this one.“

I wish I‘d broken your fucking skull!

Sir‘s sigh is a heavy weight in his chest, squeezing and crushing where he had believed only endlessly aching white nothing to be.

I trusted you.

I trusted you!

I hate you. I hate you. I hate you so fucking much. I-

loved you...

....I‘m sorry....

„We‘ll see,“ Oliver Branch mused, the warm ever present mockery of his voice frozen over by silent rage. Long fingers made quick work of his jacket buttons, threw the garment onto the sofa and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He stalked over to the small fire place, present in every room of the sky resorts ancient main building, and pulled the fire poker from its handles. „ if he‘s in any state to be refurbished after I‘m done.“